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Led by Tucker Carlson, Fox News Becomes Most-Watched Cable Network

Photo from Tucker Carlson’s Instagram

Led by Tucker Carlson, Fox News Becomes Most-Watched Cable Network

By Movieguide® Staff

Fox News reigned as the most-watched network in the month of August, surpassing other news stations as well as other cable networks.

Fox News’ primetime numbers included 2.47 million viewers, down 32% from the same month last year due to COVID-19. However, the mark beat the next closest station, MSNBC, which only reached 1.23 million. News rivals CNN posted 819,000 viewers, which is a 51% drop compared to August 2020.

The race for total day viewers was also not close, with Fox News averaging 1.42 million, MSNBC with 732,000, and CNN with 621,000.

Deadline reported:

Fox News also landed the top five cable news shows, led by Tucker Carlson Tonight with 3.3 million, followed by The Five with 3.11 million, Hannity with 3 million, The Ingraham Angle at 2.39 million, and Special Report with Bret Baier at 2.19 million. In the 25-54 demo, Tucker Carlson topped with 551,000, followed by Hannity with 503,000, The Five with 460,000, The Ingraham Angle at 410,000 and Special Report with Bret Baier at 349,000. The Rachel Maddow Show fell out of the top five for the month, in which the host was on vacation for part of the time frame.

Other highlights: Fox News’ Gutfeld!, which launched in April, again won the 11 p.m. hour, averaging 1.7 million viewers and 312,000 in the 25-54 demo. The network noted that Gutfeld! beat The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in total viewers and the demo for one week in the month. The Fox News show, however, doesn’t go head-to-head with The Late Show across the country: Gutfeld! starts at 11 p.m.ET, a half hour before The Late Show, and airs at 8 p.m. PT on the West Coast.

Last October, Fox News posted record-breaking numbers for the month of October. Movieguide® previously reported:

The Fox News Channel posted a record-breaking October as the most-watched cable network program for the 52nd straight month with Tucker Carlson’s TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT leading the way.

According to Fox News, Carlson’s show recorded the highest-rated monthly viewership of any program in the history of cable news and averaged 5.4 million nightly viewers.

Moreover, Fox News grabbed the second and third spots for the month, with 5.1 million average viewers for Sean Hannity’s HANNITY, followed by 4.1 million for THE FIVE. In fourth, INGRAHAM ANGLE had 4.07 million, and MSNBC’s THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW came in fifth with 3.7 million.

Fox News’ primetime lineup finished with the highest-rated month in cable news history and managed to beat out TV heavyweights such as ABC’s THE BACHELORETTE along the way.

Carlson earned over 1 million viewers in the key 25-54 demographic. HANNITY, INGRAHAM, THE FIVE, and THE STORY followed Carlson’s impressive numbers by clinching the next four spots in the demographic and giving Fox News the top five programs for the demographic.

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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.